What’s cooler than a GIF? A Live Photo you can actually set as your iPhone wallpaper. If you’ve ever wanted your lock screen to move with a tap, or to bring your favorite meme to life on your home screen — this guide is for you.
We’ll walk you through how to convert GIFs to Live Photos, step-by-step, how to set them as wallpaper, and how to personalize your iPhone using resources from Zedge. Whether you want aesthetic motion or just something fun, let’s turn that GIF into a Live masterpiece.
GIF vs Live Photo: What’s the Difference?
Feature | GIF | Live Photo |
|---|---|---|
File Type | .gif | .heic + .mov |
Looping | Yes | No (optional loop with effect) |
Audio Support | No | Yes |
Interactive? | No | Yes (press and hold) |
Compatible with Wallpaper | No | Yes (on iPhone) |
Includes Still Frame | No | Yes (a still photo is saved too) |
👉 Pro tip: Live Photos combine the best of still images and short videos — perfect for creating motion on your lock screen.
Why Convert a GIF to a Live Photo?
What Is the Difference Between a GIF and a Live Photo?
GIFs are short, looping animations in a lightweight file format. A Live Photo, exclusive to Apple devices, captures a still image and 1.5 seconds of motion before and after — like a tiny movie.
Benefits of Using Live Photos
- Set a moving wallpaper on your lock screen
- Save directly to your camera roll
- Works smoothly across Apple devices
- Looks cleaner and sharper than stretched GIFs
- You can create Live Photos from any GIF or convert videos
🎯 Want to clean up your wallpapers? Here's how to delete wallpaper on iPhone
Methods to Convert GIFs to Live Photos
Using GIPHY on iPhone
The easiest and most popular free app. GIPHY lets you convert any GIF to Live Photo with one tap.
Using intoLive and Other Popular Apps
intoLive allows more customization — adjust playback speed, turn video into Live Photo, apply filters, and even trim the video before saving.
Options for Android Users
Android doesn’t support native Live Photos, but you can simulate them by converting your GIF to MP4 and using a live wallpaper app like Video Live Wallpaper.
Step-by-Step Guide: Convert GIF to Live Photo on iPhone
Downloading and Setting Up GIPHY
- Open the App Store
- Search for GIPHY
- Tap Download and install
Finding and Converting Your GIF
- Open GIPHY
- Search or upload a GIF you like
- Tap the GIF to open it
- Tap the three dots in the bottom right corner
- Tap Convert to Live Photo
- Choose either:
- Full Screen (fills screen, may crop edges)
- Fit to Screen (preserves aspect ratio with borders)
💡 Tip: Try both options to see which looks better as your new wallpaper.
Saving and Locating Your Live Photo
- Open the Photos app
- Go to Albums > Live Photos
- Your converted Live Photo will appear at the top
How to Set Your New Live Photo as a Wallpaper
On iPhone Lock Screen and Home Screen
- Go to Settings > Wallpaper
- Tap Choose New Wallpaper
- Select Live Photos
- Choose your new Live Photo
- Tap Set and pick:
- Lock Screen
- Home Screen
- Both
👉 Want more control? See how to change wallpaper on iPhone easily
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Live Photo not animating? Make sure Live Photo is turned on when setting wallpaper.
- Still blurry? Try a higher resolution GIF or use Fit to Screen.
- Not seeing movement? Press and hold on the lock screen, not just tap.
🛠️ Still stuck? Use this guide on how to customize your home screen
Personalize Your Device Further with Zedge
What Is Zedge.com?
Zedge is the ultimate resource for high-quality wallpapers, ringtones, and themes — all optimized for your screen size.
Whether you’re into nature, space, anime, or sports, Zedge has Live Wallpapers that actually look good.
🎨 Explore: Zedge Wallpapers
How to Find and Download Live Wallpapers from Zedge
- Go to zedge.net/wallpapers
- Use the category filters to browse by style
- Select Live Wallpapers
- Tap Download or Save to device
- Set it through your iPhone’s Photos app
Combining Zedge Resources with Your Custom Live Photos
Mix and match Zedge assets with your converted Live Photos to create a full custom theme — from lock screen to home screen.
Want to make your own Live Wallpaper from scratch? Check out this guide on how to make your own phone wallpaper
Final Word
Your iPhone doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. With a few taps and the right shortcut apps, you can convert GIFs into Live Photos, set them as interactive wallpapers, and elevate your phone’s personality.
From custom animation to cinematic motion, the power to personalize your phone is literally at your fingertips.
Ready to explore?
Browse Zedge Wallpapers for the perfect match, or start fresh with our best wallpaper apps
📱 Make your screen move. Make it yours!
FAQs
Can I make a GIF into a Live Photo?
Yes. Use apps like GIPHY or intoLive to convert GIFs into iPhone Live Photos.
How to save a GIF as a live image?
In GIPHY, tap the three dots and choose Convert to Live Photo, then save it to your Photos app.
How to change a GIF to MOV?
Once you save a GIF as a Live Photo, the .mov version is stored automatically in the Photos app’s metadata. You can extract it by sharing the Live Photo as a video.